Olivia!

My beautiful niece Olivia turned 6 years old this weekend and fortunately we were able to celebrate with her! Olivia is very creative, talented, sweet and fun. WE LOVE YOU OLIVIA!

Nathan (2), Kate (10 months), Ellie (4), and Olivia (6)

Stomach Flu

We survived! This past week, our family was ravaged by the stomach flu. First the girls got sick. What a NIGHTMARE! I will spare you all the details of puke and Kate's dirty diapers but let me tell you it was not pretty! I have never wiped so many noses, butts, beds, counters, dishes, toys and floors in my life! And just when I thought things were getting manageable, Dan got sick. Poor guy. By the time it was his turn, I just gave him a glass of Gatorade, cracked the window for some fresh air, and said "I love you but you are on your own. Goodnight." And I don't think I saw him for the next 20 hours! With Kate in the front pack and Ellie on the couch, I tried to get our house and life back to some kind of "normal." That didn't last long. That night, I got sick. So here we are, a couple days later and I dare say we are all (mostly) well again. Kate is still not sleeping well and the runny noses keep running but things are definitely looking up!

At the Tacoma Children's Museum...hmmm, wonder where we all got the flu germs? Gross. Ellie making her sister laugh as always. She is SO amazing with Kate.

Kate gives Daddy the Magoo smile in the ball pit

Sweet Girl

Magoo again. What a ham!

Back at home...before the flu of course!...nice hit Ellie! (Note Ellie's ROCKIN' ensemble :) )

After the flu...Ellie and Dan and Jaxie played in the snow! Crazy weather around here!

The trooper snowman....as he started to melt

Just Kate after a bath. I don't know why but I love these pictures.

This past Saturday, Dan took Ellie to the annual Father/Daughter Dance in Bonney Lake. Ellie talked about it for at least a week in advance. She was so excited to go to dinner and a dance with just her daddy and Dan did an awesome job (as usual) making Ellie feel like the most special girl in the room. So sweet!

All dressed up and ready to go!

Waiting for Daddy...

Ellie's date has arrived :)

At dinner Ellie and "the crew." Our friends Brad, Tyler, and Eric also brought their daughters all of which are 7-11 years of age. Ellie was in total Heaven!

Thanks Dan for making the day so special for Ellie! You are the best! Love you!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Kate Elizabeth is 10 Months Old!

Oh boy, do we have our hands full with this little one! Kate is as adorable as ever. She is snuggly, funny, and offers huge Magoo-eyed smiles freely. She cracks up at the littlest things and is generally always happy. But she is a stinker. She is mischievous and DOES NOT LIKE TO BE TOLD NO. Oh my. I let her have a spoon today and put Peach Mishmash on it (basically like peach applesauce). She did great the first few spoonfuls but then began to, as expected, fling it every which way. Once I finished wiping the mishmash off of my face, clothes, table, et cetera, I said, "OK, no more Kate" and took the spoon away. I didn't say it harshly or anything but OH.MY.Word. Game over. Kate wound up and then let me suffer through the saddest crying fit I have ever seen (even worse than the "no ice cream" fit I posted awhile back). I even offered her the spoon back and "apologized" ("OK baby girl, Mama is sorry. Here is your spoon.") Waaaaaah waaaaaah waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh! The funny thing is she doesn't just cry to let you know she is upset. She refuses to let you fix the situation. She wants you to really stew in your remorse. It's hilarious...and a little scary. :) And thus the reason I am no longer nursing Kate. She bit me...hard... and when I told her "NO!" she cried (see above scenario) and then has ever since refused to be nursed. I was devastated. So in effect, Kate bit ME but I am the one being punished. Hmmmmm. Again, we are going to have our hands full with this one. :) But my goodness we love her! Like her sister Ellie, Kate is definitely not lacking in personality! She is also an observer like Ellie and she picks up on things quickly. Nevertheless, Kate will do things how she wants to do them and when she wants to do them. She is very strong willed, smart, funny, and loving. She is so much fun and we can't wait to see what she will do next. :) Happy 10 months Kate!

This is the "Busted" face. I don't know what she was doing, but by the look on her face I know she wasn't supposed to be doing it.

This is the "You can't be mad at me for long Mommy because I am SO adorable" face

Yes, this is bedtime. And yes, the girls are on a trampoline. What has happened to my control?

Please notice the sock. Typical Kate...she is just like her daddy!

She is literally saying "Puvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv!" to me when I said "Smile for Mommy!" Notice the ever-so-subtle smirk...again, just like her daddy! :)

Wow! A picture when I actually combed her hair! Or at least when she didn't smash avocado in it. Yet...

OOOH! I LOVE THAT FACE!

A Visit With Cole

This week, we traveled up to Bellingham to visit our newest nephew, Cole Daniel. We had a wonderful time and tried to get as many pictures as possible! Cole made Kate look SO BIG! He is such a sweet little guy and even smiled a few times for us! OOHHHH! We love him! Ellie cried when we had to leave because she fell so in love with her new little cousin!